John Wooden Might Be the Most Quotable Figure in the Entire Field of Talent Development

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John Wooden might be the most quotable figure in the entire field of talent development:

“The 4 laws are explanation, demonstration, imitation, and repetition. The goal is to create a correct habit that can be produced instinctively under great pressure. To make sure this goal was achieved, I created eight laws of learning, namely, explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, [repetition], and repetition.”

“I could track the practice routines of every single player for every single practice session he participated in while I was coaching him”

“When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. … Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens—and when it happens, it lasts.”

“I learned to be concise and quick and didn’t string things out. … I never had a lot of meetings and things of that sort. I wanted short things during the practice session.”

“You just don’t throw material out for someone to get, as I’ve heard some college professors say. I had a discussion with an English professor at UCLA. … When we began to discuss teaching, [the professor] indicated that he was there to dispense material and students were to get it. And I said ‘I thought you were there to teach them.’ He said, ‘No, no, college students should be getting it themselves. Maybe in the lower levels they’re taught [but not when they get to university].’ And I said, ‘Well I think you’re always teaching.’”

All these quotes are cited in “What a Coach can Teach a Teacher, 1975-2004: Reflections and Reanalysis of John Wooden’s Teaching Practices” (Gallimore & Tharp, 2004).

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